Egypt Faces Economic Impact Amid 50-Degree Heatwave... Global Concerns Rise

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As northern Africa's Egypt suffers severe economic damage due to extreme heatwaves, concerns are rising that similar situations will occur worldwide this summer, reported The Guardian on the 10th (local time).

The report stated that the southern Egyptian tourist area of Aswan recorded a historic high temperature of 50.9 degrees Celsius on the 7th. This surpasses the previous record of 50.3 degrees set in the Karga region in 1961.

In April, the temperature in outdoor sunny areas of the capital Cairo reached 46 degrees Celsius. The temperature recorded in Cairo in April 1874 was 24 degrees.

Bloomberg News reported on the 12th that the Egyptian Meteorological Authority is worried that this summer's heat will be much more severe than last year, causing significant damage. According to Bloomberg, due to Egypt's desert characteristics, temperatures rise twice as fast as in other regions, making global warming a more serious issue.

With increased air conditioner usage, Egypt has been forced to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) at record levels since 2018. Dependence on grain imports is rising due to reduced wheat harvests and water shortages.

Frequent power outages have also caused productivity declines. Local media reported that laptops shut down during video conferences, and office workers hurry to leave work ahead of scheduled power cuts. Several fatal accidents occurred during attempts to escape from elevators trapped during outages.

Meanwhile, experts predict heatwaves will appear in many parts of the world this year. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the global average temperature last month was 15.9 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded for May. The record for the hottest month has continued for 12 consecutive months.

Especially considering the North Atlantic temperatures are higher than average, Europe is likely to experience significant heat this year. This would cause a surge in energy demand for cooling and increase wildfire risks in Greece, Spain, France, and other countries. Strong storms could lead to floods and crop damage. There is also a high risk of heat-related deaths.

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